Farmers on Ay Island and Rhun Island in the Banda Islands, Malusc,\nhave received training in controlling plant pests and diseases to\nmaintain the productivity of nutmeg, cloves, and horticultural crops,\nwhich serve as the primary source of livelihood for the local\ncommunity.<\/p>\n
The EcoNusa Foundation facilitated this training on plant pest\nmanagement on 20 August 2026 on Rhun Island and 21 August on Ay Island.\nEach session was attended by 37 participants from farming and women\u2019s\ngroups.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen crops are protected, harvests are preserved. And when harvests\nare preserved, the livelihoods of farmers can continue to be\nstrengthened,\u201d said Zulkifli Hasem, Program Associate at the EcoNusa\nFoundation, in a press release on Friday.<\/p>\n
The training was designed based on the specific problems faced by\nfarmers, including nutmeg fruit drop, fire blight (fungus), and white\nmould on nutmeg seeds.<\/p>\n
Farmers received both theoretical and practical instruction from the\nMaluku Provincial Agriculture Office and the Technical Implementation\nUnit of the Maluku Provincial Office for the Protection of Food Crops,\nHorticulture, and Plantations.<\/p>\n
To manage fire blight on nutmeg roots and stems, farmers practised\nfertilisation by injecting natural liquid fertiliser into the stems and\napplying root fertiliser through circular trenches.<\/p>\n
To reduce white mould attacks on nutmeg seeds, farmers were trained\nto improve post-harvest hygiene, including using mats during picking and\ndrying, and storing produce in separate rooms with floor elevations of\nat least 20 centimetres.<\/p>\n
Farmers also received explanations regarding the phenomenon of nutmeg\nfruit drop that frequently occurs in May, known locally as \u201combong\nMei.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Zulkifli, this condition is related to high rainfall\nduring the transition season and a lack of soil nutrients. Anticipation\ncan be achieved through root fertilisation to improve nutrient\nlevels.<\/p>\n
In addition to technical control, farmers practised making botanical\npesticides using bael fruit (Aegle marmelos) mixed with liquid soap and\nwater, which is then fermented for 12 hours before being diluted and\napplied to the plants.<\/p>\n
Farmers on Ay and Rhun Islands previously faced limitations in\nrecognising the early symptoms of pest and disease attacks and\ndetermining the appropriate control methods.<\/p>\n
Iskandar, a farmer from Rhun Island, stated that pest and disease\nattacks significantly impact nutmeg yields and productivity.<\/p>\n
\u201cPests and diseases have a massive influence on the harvest and\nfertility of nutmeg trees. The most serious threat is disease affecting\ntrees that are currently in their productive phase,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He noted that fire blight can cause nutmeg trees to die, while\ndiseases affecting the fruit skin remain a difficult problem for farmers\nto manage.<\/p>\n
Dead nutmeg trees must be replanted, and generally only begin to bear\nfruit after five to eight years if grown from seeds, meaning farmers\nlose their source of income during the waiting period.<\/p>\n
Nutmeg is one of the main commodities for the people of the Banda\nIslands, alongside cloves and horticultural crops. Since 2025, the Banda\nNaira Mandiri Producer Cooperative has been purchasing nutmeg from Rhun\nIsland farmers, while nutmeg from Ay Island is purchased directly by PT\nKOBUMI.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/banda-islands-farmers-trained-in-crop-pest-control-1790334642", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }